Despite this, plenty of people are still going under the knife. Lumbar spine surgery rates are doubling roughly every 10 years, according to University of NSW professor of orthopaedic surgery Ian Harris.

And, he said, the operations are getting more complex, and therefore more risky.

There are however, cheaper, more effective ways to deal with back pain. We asked the experts what works — and what doesn’t.

Get moving

Yes, even if it hurts. Once you have the all clear from a doctor or physiotherapist, you are safe to move.

Developments in neuroscience indicate that the brain creates pain as a mechanism to protect us.

In the case of chronic pain, the pain system gets more sensitive. Our body learns pain — and so we feel it more acutely.

When it comes to chronic pain, the brain is being overly cautious. Pain is increased by fear of re-injury and a whole host of other factors. And so, over time, our body creates a bigger than necessary pain buffer zone.

But you can still move — and exercise — within that pain buffer zone, without causing tissue damage, according to University of South Australia professor of clinical neurosciences Lorimer Moseley, who is at the forefront of Australia’s world-leading brain and pain research.

“If we can appreciate that pain is a protective device, not a measure of tissue damage, if we can communicate that to people, then we change the game,” Professor Moseley said.

When people realise they are safe to move, they can start to get better, he said.

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Brooke Street Medical Centre was established in 1989 and continues to provide the highest level of care to its patients. Offering a range of Allied Health services that compliment our experienced GP’s.